Have you been waiting for this? Let’s get on with it then! On December 16th, Trials of the Lodge will be implemented into the game. It’s a completely new mode that will surely shake up your weekly routine. :) We can finally reveal it to you and we believe that it’ll be a great mixture of challenge, emotions, and fun.
“For centuries, the members of the Lodge have been looking for the most effective ways of dealing with beasts born of magical anomalies. This led to the creation of the Trials of the Lodge, conducted in the arenas of the Talavi archipelago in the faraway Dirtam. Trials of the Lodge are a test for the bravest Hunters and Trackers, and also an opportunity to learn the weaknesses of monsters from around the world.”
Trials of the Lodge: Only the Bravest — or the Most Curious — May Enter
If you think that you know every path in Broken Ranks by heart, you’re in for a surprise. Every attempt looks different — different paths, mobs, shifting effects, various rewards. Yes, it’s “roguelite chaos” in its purest form.
“Every member of the Lodge who wants to advance in the hierarchy to someone else other than the warden of the Garden, where the most dangerous beasts are kept, must follow the path of the Trials and survive... or die trying.”
Well, if you haven’t read the Dev Blog, it’s worth knowing that you will unlock the first Trials of the Lodge at level 35. There’ll be five Trials — each dedicated to a different level range. At the beginning, you’ll get access to the level range that is one lower, but if you complete it, you’ll advance to your own range. In addition to that, we want everyone to find something for themselves here, so you’ll have two modes to choose from. Solo mode for those who want to play at their own pace, without looking at others. However, if you have strong companions, the party version will delight you.
“Complete All Stages” Is so Easy to Say
Your time has come. In theory, all you need to do is reach the end. In practice... well, MMORPG fans know that RNGesus is fickle. Although you can see the map right after you enter, with its randomly generated arenas and more, it’s not as easy as it may seem. Each arena houses an opponent who may be accompanied by buffs, debuffs, and other elements that make the gameplay more varied — for example, a shop or a special reward. The map is generated anew with every attempt. The path is another thing — you’ll forge it gradually with every completed arena. Whatever it may be, it surely won’t be boring. :)
The entry limit resets every week, separately for the solo and party mode, so you don’t have to worry that playing one mode will lock you out of the other.
Progress and Enhancements
As we mentioned, we don’t want the Trials of the Lodge to be a one-shot, “complete and forget” type of adventure. Each attempt, even a failed one, gives you a special currency known as aithar that you can spend in various ways.
Thanks to it, you’ll be able to enhance your characters with Infusions, the effects of which will carry over from the Trials to the rest of the game. They’ll improve one of the chosen attributes that you think is the weakest.
Infusion points can be gained not only during the Trials of the Lodge but also outside of them by defeating opponents with a specific aspect. An aspect is a new trait of the more powerful opponents. There are seven aspects and each boss, champion, and elite has one of them. The more opponents with a given aspect you defeat, the higher your effectiveness when fighting them or ones like them will be.
However, points aren’t everything — it’s just potential that has to be activated to work. That’s where aithars come into the picture. Without them, the points you obtain are just empty numbers. Thanks to this currency, you’ll be able to enhance your characters.
But it’s not the only use for aithars. The second, equally important one, is their effect on your effectiveness in the Trials. You’ll be able to spend this currency on: additional attributes for your character that you can only use in this mode, extra entry per week, or path modifications, e.g. an increased chance for powerful buffs. Some arenas will also feature a shop where you’ll be able to make purchases increasing your chances of progressing even further. All of this will let you rush through even more Trials to not only get extra aithars but also more of the standard reward in the form of experience and psychoexperience. During your journey, you’ll also get a chance to obtain drifs, synergetics, rare gear and, if your path takes you through a starred arena, also utility items.
Feel the Vibe Now...
“Although the Lodge has been guarding its secrets jealously, over the years it began to lift the veil a little. They made some of its arenas open to the public, which piqued the interest of many people - the rich citizens of the Sovereignty of Dirtam will pay a lot to see the artists of battle and exotic monsters from all around the world in action.
And now they’ll be able to witness firsthand as the sands of the arena become soaked with the blood of the warriors and mages from the faraway Taern... or of their victims if they prove strong enough.”
If you haven’t done so already and want to feel the atmosphere of the Trials of the Lodge before you can launch them in the game, make sure you watch the trailer. It’s brief, to the point, and with just the right emotional punch. :)
Can’t see the preview? Here’s a link to the video.
As always, you’ll be able to see more technical details and a full list of changes in the changelog. We’ll publish it on the day of the update.
And if you’re still hungry for information after checking out the Trials, we’ll host a Q&A with our game designers on Discord. We’ll start collecting questions HERE as soon as the update goes live (on December 16th), and you’ll be able to submit yours until December 19th at 12 PM server time. Don’t miss it!
